Santa Claus has decided to get with the times and make several key changes to how he operates. Press reports say he will start to incorporate the latest technology in the manufacture and delivery of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate on getting in better shape and trimming his bulging waistline. Santa has come under increasing pressure from Internet stores in recent years and is finding it increasingly difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas wish lists to sites like Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also struggled to keep up with the latest cutting-edge production methods used in digital toys and games.

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work considerably fewer hours. There have been concerns for centuries about making them work non-stop over the Christmas period and fly around the world all night. The elves will now oversee a brand-new, state-of-the-art, gift-making facility at Santa's workshop. This will reduce their working load to just one hour a day. In another technological revolution, Santa's sleigh will be powered by a new environmentally-friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now sit in the sleigh instead of pulling it. These changes also mean Santa will have more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym and shed a few kilos.

Sources:
The North Pole Times
SantaLand Gazette

WARM-UPS

1. SANTA CLAUS: Walk around the class and talk to other students about Santa Claus. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

5. SANTA STUFF: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best Santa things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

his beard

Rudolph

the presents he brings

his elves

you can send him a wish list

yo-ho-ho

his clothes

his message for kids to be good

6. CHRISTMAS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word 'Christmas'. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

7. CHRISTMAS SONGS Look at the lyrics (words) as you listen to these popular Xmas songs -

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Santa Claus has decided to get with the (1) ____________ and make several key changes to how he operates. Press reports say he will start to (2) ____________ the latest technology in the manufacture and (3) ____________ of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate on getting in better shape and (4) ____________ his bulging waistline. Santa has come under increasing pressure from Internet stores in recent years and is finding it (5) ____________ difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas (6) ____________ lists to sites like Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also (7) ____________ to keep up with the latest cutting-edge production (8) ____________ used in digital toys and games.

struggledincorporatetrimmingtimeswishdeliverymethodsincreasingly

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work (9) ____________ fewer hours. There have been concerns for centuries about making them work non-stop over the Christmas (10) ____________ and fly around the world all night. The elves will now (11) ____________ a brand-new, state-of-the-art, gift-making facility at Santa's workshop. This will reduce their working (12) ____________ to just one hour a day. In another technological revolution, Santa's sleigh will be (13) ____________ by a new environmentally-friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his (14) ____________ will now sit in the sleigh instead of (15) ____________ it. These changes also mean Santa will have more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym and (16) ____________ a few kilos.

a. reduces the working load
b. reduce their working load
c. reduce their work in load
d. reduce their work inroad

8)

Santa's sleigh ______ environmentally-friendly fuel.

a. will be powerful by a new
b. will be power by a new
c. will be powered by a new
d. will be powdered by a new

9)

Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now ______ pull it.

a. sit in the sleigh in steady of
b. sitting the sleigh instead of
c. sit in the sleigh instead of
d. sitting in the sleigh instead of

10)

more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym ______

a. and shed a few kilos
b. and shred a few kilos
c. and shared a few kilos
d. and shredder few kilos

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Santa Claus has decided to (1) ______________________ and make several key changes to how he operates. Press reports say he will start to incorporate the latest technology in the (2) ______________________ of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate on getting in better shape (3) ____________________ waistline. Santa has (4) ______________________ pressure from Internet stores in recent years and is finding it increasingly difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas (5) ______________________ Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also struggled to keep up with (6) ______________________ production methods used in digital toys and games.

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will (7) ______________________ fewer hours. There have been (8) ______________________ about making them work non-stop over the Christmas period and fly around the world all night. The elves will now (9) ______________________ -of-the-art, gift-making facility at Santa's workshop. This will (10) _____________________ to just one hour a day. In another technological revolution, Santa's sleigh (11) ______________________ environmentally-friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now sit in the sleigh instead of pulling it. These changes also mean Santa will have more time to spend working out at his North Pole (12) ______________________.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

What has Santa decided to get with?

2.

What will he incorporate into his operations?

3.

What will Santa trim?

4.

Why is Santa finding business is difficult?

5.

Where else are kids sending their Christmas wish lists?

6.

For how long have people worried about working conditions for elves?

7.

What role will the elves take on from now?

8.

What are the new working hours for the elves?

9.

Why will animals rights activists be happy?

10.

What can Santa do now he has more free time?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

How many key changes has Santa decided to make?

6.

For how long have people worried about working conditions for Santa's helpers?

a) have snowball fights
b) sit in it
c) wrap more presents
d) follow the sleigh's progress on
www.noradsanta.org/en/track.html

5.

What has Santa found it difficult to do?

10.

What will Santa do with his extra free time?

a) get in YouTube's top 10 video list
b) find a way into apartments because
they don't have chimneys
c) keep pace with technology
d) win at the latest video games

a) go to the gym to lose weight
b) invent better toys for kids
c) sleep
d) play with Frosty the snowman

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Santa

You think you are one of the most important characters in children's lives. Tell the others three reasons why. You hate the Internet. Tell the others three reasons why. You have done your best to be a more up-to-date Santa so kids of today will love you more. Amazon is only interested in profit, not kids.

Role B – Amazon.com boss

You think Santa is too out of date for today's kids. Tell the others three reasons why. You think kids like Amazon.com better than Santa. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell Santa he really needs to change a lot more to stay popular, and that Amazon's wish lists are better for kids.

Role C – A kid

You love Santa. Tell the others three reasons why. You think Santa is becoming more and more popular. Tell Amazon's boss why Santa will always be bigger than the Internet. Tell him/her that Santa cares and that Internet stores don't. You don't believe the bad things Rudolph says about Santa.

Role D – Rudolph

You have studied the rivalry between Santa and the Internet very closely. You think Santa is still most popular. Tell the others three reasons why. You think stores like Amazon are making Christmas too commercial. You have three bad things to say about Santa. Tell the others what they are.

MULTIPLE CHOICE - LANGUAGE

Santa Claus has decided to get with the (1) ____ and make several key changes to how he operates. Press reports say he will start to (2) ____ the latest technology in the manufacture and delivery of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate (3) ____ getting in better shape and trimming his bulging (4) ____. Santa has come under increasing pressure from Internet stores in recent years and is finding it increasingly difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas (5) ____ lists to sites like Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also struggled to keep (6) ____ with the latest cutting-edge production methods used in digital toys and games.

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work (7) ____ fewer hours. There have been concerns for centuries about making them work non-stop over the Christmas period and fly around the world all night. The elves will now (8) ____ a brand-new, state-of-the-(9) ____, gift-making facility at Santa's workshop. This will reduce their working (10) ____ to just one hour a day. In another technological revolution, Santa's sleigh will be powered by a new environmentally-friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now sit in the sleigh (11) ____ of pulling it. These changes also mean Santa will have more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym and (12) ____ a few kilos.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

timers

(b)

times

(c)

timings

(d)

digital times

2.

(a)

incense

(b)

incorporate

(c)

incur

(d)

include

3.

(a)

as

(b)

at

(c)

in

(d)

on

4.

(a)

waste

(b)

waistline

(c)

wait times

(d)

wastepaper

5.

(a)

hope

(b)

wish

(c)

please

(d)

Day

6.

(a)

of

(b)

down

(c)

up

(d)

along

7.

(a)

considered

(b)

considers

(c)

considerably

(d)

considerately

8.

(a)

overseas

(b)

oversight

(c)

oversee

(d)

overs

9.

(a)

statue

(b)

digital

(c)

painting

(d)

art

10.

(a)

load

(b)

lead

(c)

lad

(d)

laid

11.

(a)

instead

(b)

rather

(c)

prefer

(d)

in place

12.

(a)

shack

(b)

cabin

(c)

shed

(d)

hut

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

velsrea key changes

2.

rapioonrcte the latest technology

3.

ttorcaecnen on getting in better shape

4.

trimming his bulging ilwtasein

5.

finding it rnynaelsicig difficult

6.

ggesdultr to keep up

Paragraph 2

7.

work relsbncyoadi fewer hours

8.

there have been concerns for ncireuset

9.

gift-making ftciayli

10.

another technological ivontuerlo

11.

a new eilyennrnovlmat-friendly fuel

12.

animal rights iaittcssv

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )

load to just one hour a day. In another technological revolution, Santa's sleigh will be powered by a new environmentally-

( )

delivery of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate

( )

to keep up with the latest cutting-edge production methods used in digital toys and games.

( )

for centuries about making them work non-stop over the Christmas period and fly around the world all night. The elves will now

( )

oversee a brand-new, state-of-the-art, gift-making facility at Santa's workshop. This will reduce their working

( )

friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now

( )

on getting in better shape and trimming his bulging waistline. Santa has come under increasing pressure from Internet stores in recent

( 1 )

Santa Claus has decided to get with the times and make several key changes to

( )

how he operates. Press reports say he will start to incorporate the latest technology in the manufacture and

( )

years and is finding it increasingly difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas wish

( )

lists to sites like Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also struggled

( )

sit in the sleigh instead of pulling it. These changes also mean Santa will have

( )

more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym and shed a few kilos.

( )

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work considerably fewer hours. There have been concerns

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

times several the make changes with and key Get.

2.

technology Reports say he will start to incorporate the latest.

3.

better Create reindeers his for conditions working.

4.

also getting shape will on better He concentrate in.

5.

struggled His to workshop keep has up also.

6.

work period Making them stop over the Christmas. non -

7.

load to just one hour a day Reduce their working.

8.

by friendly a fuel new environmentally Powered -.

9.

the now His pulling sleigh sit helpers it instead in will of.

10.

More gym Pole North his at out working spend to time.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Santa Claus has decided to get / let with the times and make several key changes to how he operates. Press reports say he will start to incorporate the latest technology in / on the manufacture and delivery / delivers of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves. He will also concentrate in / on getting in better shape and trimming his bugling / bulging waistline. Santa has come under / over increasing pressure from Internet stores in recently / recent years and is finding it increasingly / increased difficult to compete. Many children are sending their Christmas wish / wishful lists to sites like Amazon.com instead of writing to him. His workshop has also struggled to keep up / down with the latest cutting-edge production methods used in digital toys and games.

Santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work considerately / considerably fewer hours. There have been concerns / concerning for centuries about making them work stoppage / non-stop over the Christmas period and fly around the world all night. The elves will now oversight / oversee a brand-new, state-of-the-statue / state-of-the-art, gift-making facility / faculty at Santa's workshop. This will reduce their working load / lead to just one hour a day. In another technological revulsion / revolution, Santa's sleigh will be powered by a new environmentally-friendly fuel. Animal rights activists will be happy that Rudolph and his helpers will now sit in the sleigh instead / rather of pulling it. These changes also mean Santa will have more time to spend working out at his North Pole gym and shed / shack a few kilos.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

santa claus has decided to get with the times and make several key changes to how he operates press reports say he will start to incorporate the latest technology in the manufacture and delivery of his gifts and create better working conditions for his reindeers and elves he will also concentrate on getting in better shape and trimming his bulging waistline santa has come under increasing pressure from internet stores in recent years and is finding it increasingly difficult to compete many children are sending their christmas wish lists to sites like amazoncom instead of writing to him his workshop has also struggled to keep up with the latest cutting-edge production methods used in digital toys and games

santa's nine reindeer and group of elves will now all work considerably fewer hours there have been concerns for centuries about making them work non-stop over the christmas period and fly around the world all night the elves will now oversee a brand-new state-of-the-art gift-making facility at santa's workshop this will reduce their working load to just one hour a day in another technological revolution santa's sleigh will be powered by a new environmentally-friendly fuel animal rights activists will be happy that rudolph and his helpers will now sit in the sleigh instead of pulling it these changes also mean santa will have more time to spend working out at his north pole gym and shed a few kilos

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about Santa Claus. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SANTA CLAUS: Make a poster about Santa Claus. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. NORTH POLE CHANGE: Write a magazine article about the changes Santa is making. Include imaginary interviews with Santa, the reindeer Rudolph and an elf who works in Santa's workshop.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to Santa Claus. Ask him three questions about being Santa Claus. Give him three suggestions on how he can do his job better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

T

c

F

d

T

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

key

a.

important

2.

incorporate

b.

include

3.

trimming

c.

reducing

4.

bulging

d.

increasing

5.

cutting-edge

e.

innovative

6.

considerably

f.

greatly

7.

oversee

g.

supervise

8.

facility

h.

center / centre

9.

working out

i.

exercising

10.

shed

j.

lose

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

The times

2.

The latest technology

3.

His bulging waistline

4.

Because of competition from the Internet

5.

To Internet stores like Amazon.com

6.

For centuries

7.

Overseers of a new, modern facility

8.

One hour a day

9.

The reindeer will no longer have to pull the sleigh

10.

Go to the gym and lose weight

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

d

4.

c

5.

d

6.

c

7.

a

8.

c

9.

b

10.

a

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)